George Russell joins Fernando Alonso in calling for a recent strategy to pre-season testing.
Subsequent week sees pre-season testing get underway in Bahrain, only one week earlier than the 2023 world championship season kicks off on the similar venue.
Laborious to imagine however as followers look ahead to the three days of motion (February 23 – 25), not that way back testing was just about a free for all.
Not solely was there pre-season testing, there was in-season testing, post-season testing, typically with two automobiles, generally groups have been even in motion at two tracks, there was a lot testing groups had devoted check crews.
Nonetheless, in a bid to scale back spending and hopefully degree the enjoying area, testing is now diminished to a minimal.
Final 12 months, as a result of guidelines overhaul we received six days of pre-season testing in Barcelona and Bahrain, this 12 months, with few rule modifications, it is simply three.
Not solely does this imply that the reserve and check drivers will not get a glance in, it implies that only one week earlier than the season opener the likes of Lewis Hamilton et al may have round a day and a half of operating… assuming they’re fortunate and do not undergo any incidents or reliability points… any crimson flag stoppages robbing all of treasured observe time.
Talking on the launch of the Aston Martin earlier this week, Fernando Alonso was essential of the shortage of operating.
“It is just a little bit unfair,” mentioned the Spaniard. “That is the one sport on this planet the place you do a day and a half of follow, and then you definitely play a world championship.”
On the launch of the Mercedes yesterday, George Russell echoed the Spaniard’s frustration.
“Personally talking, I do not assume three days is sufficient,” mentioned the Briton. “You have to keep in mind, from a driver’s perspective, that’s one and a half days per driver.
“We have been lucky to do the check final week however had we not, that may have been getting on for twelve weeks out of the automotive from Abu Dhabi to Bahrain,” he added. “Might you think about Rafael Nadal spending twelve weeks with out hitting a ball after which going straight into the French Open with one-and-a-half days of coaching? It might by no means occur!”
The GPDA (Grand Prix Drivers’ Affiliation) director believes that it could make extra sense for groups to be allowed to run two automobiles on the checks, as was once the case.
“Three days with two automobiles can be place to be,” he mentioned, “and that may most likely be one of the best compromise for the entire the reason why they’re making an attempt to restrict it.
“Proper now, one and a half days per driver is just too few.”
